Final Fantasy XV Being Toned Down to Ensure Completion Within 40 Hours

Game Director Hajime Tabata recently provided an update on Final Fantasy XV’s development, saying that it was looking “harder and harder” to complete in under forty hours.

Speaking with Kotaku, the director explained how the team was originally aiming to have players complete the main storyline within forty hours. However, as the development process went along and the scale of the game’s world came into light, the amount of content just went up.

“Originally, we were aiming so that the entire [FFXV] story could potentially be cleared within 40 hours. But looking at the current volume of what’s becoming available, it’s looking harder and harder to clear within that time.”

As for the Duscae region which will be featured in an upcoming demo, Tabata stated that “it’s become bigger than [the developers] anticipated.” The region was originally planned to represent one-fifth of the full game world’s size. That number is now larger.

The developer sees this as an unfavorable aspect since it may potentially be just too much for players. Hence, the game is currently being toned down and everyone’s trying to “work around” the length of the game.

A playable demo of Final Fantasy XV will release exclusively alongside the day-one edition of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD in March. It will allow players to play through a part of the main game’s story.